Written question WQ98253
- Asked by
- Natasha AsgharConservative
- To be answered by
- Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 1 day
Question
Will the Cabinet Secretary outline what guidance or requirements currently apply to local authorities regarding the scanning of deceased cats for microchips?
Answer
Answered by Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
Microchipping best practice, promotion, and wider reform continue to be areas of consideration, including cross-Government efforts to improve how microchip databases operate and opportunities for a single point of search.
While extending the dog‑microchipping mandate to cats is not currently planned, recent findings from Cats Protection’s CATS Report, Cats and Their Stats Wales 2025, indicate that voluntary microchipping rates in Wales remain strong and stable at 74%, with 96% of these records kept up to date.
Evidence from England, where cat microchipping became mandatory in 2024, indicates that the legal change has not increased uptake, with a slight fall from 75% to 74% in 2025. Taken together, the data suggests that Wales is performing well without introducing a legal requirement for cat microchipping and there is already good recognition of microchipping’s role in responsible ownership.
There is no statutory requirement for Local Authorities in Wales to scan deceased cats for a microchip and arrangements are determined independently by each Local Authority.